Search the Community

You could palpably sense the collective groaning when the news broke that the venerable David Weir had signed yet another one year contract with Rangers, at the ripe, old, pensionable age of 41. There may not have been any actual disgust considering his well received contribution to the amazing success in the trophy department from an underfunded Rangers team in the closing years of SDM's ownership: but you could feel the dread that this might be one year too far for the, up to now, rock-solid veteran, and the disappointment of not signing a younger replacement lingered as the obvious train of thought pulling out of the station and quickly gaining momentum. However, with the management having fingers in a few pies in the transfer market but taking a frustrating amount of time to bear any well cooked plums; and with the shaky look of the defence with the deputies we already possess; you've got to bet many Bears are looking forward to Weir (in Homer Simpson fashion) settling his bum into the perfectly matching, indented shape in the position he has made his own during an amazing 162 appearances for the Rangers defence, in a mere four and a half seasons. The thinking may now change to warmly welcome him to the team for the start of the season while we hammer out the details of transfer fees and wages, and wait on the decisions of others before someone (anyone?) signs for the centre half position - maybe (hopefully) while Cuellar works on coming back to fitness before possibly donning the Royal blue shirt in a second spell at the club. So if another year could be too far, how about another few months for the guy who only just nine weeks ago, stood on the Ibrox pitch, holding aloft the SPL trophy for the third time in a row, the 54th title - this time as a legendary captain of the world record holding club? With Bougherra still at the club, the familiar, well matched and reliable defensive duo will probably be a welcome sight to the tens of thousands in blue, when the Swedish champions, Malmo, come to grace, and be graced by, the freshly spruced up, five star, Ibrox stadium. It will give the defence a look of solidity it needs until some much needed business is hopefully completed well before the transfer window slams shut. The man dubbed "Sir David" by the fans, seems like an insurance policy that many will hope we won't have to call on too much after a new first choice partnership has gelled at the base of the traditional solid spine of a Rangers team. The prevailing opinion of the fans seems to be that a coaching role role would be the preferred primary task for the popular player who has defied the ravages of time and extended his career in top class football, way beyond what is traditionally considered possible. After that, his presence on the pitch will probably be most appreciated during the traditional, mid-season injury crises as fans await a new era of team rebuilding at the club - using players significantly younger, even if they turn out to be slightly the "wrong side" of thirty. If they can emulate the staying power of player they replace, it would mean they would still have another decade left in the peak of their career and when you consider that, a 31 year old would seem like a relative spring chicken. So let's hope the still current captain can continue his amazingly consistent form for the next couple of months while we try to build a solid start to the championship defence as well as negotiate the tricky qualifying rounds that bar our way to the riches of the Champion's League - a place where if Weir is allowed to play he will be the second oldest ever to grace the blue ribbon competition. At the moment he's like our bridging loan, but many hope he turns into an accruing investment, if he can effectively coach his amazing ability to read the game to our emerging young talent at Murray Park - and don't forget the insurance policy already mentioned. For all that, he seems well worth the premium we've paid for the annual renewal.

GIVEN that Sweden has one of the most developed welfare states in the world and prides itself on its socialists principles, it is perhaps not surprising that success on the football front has been shared fairly equally in recent years as well. There have been nine different champions of the Allsvenskan, the Swedish top division, in the past 12 years. At the start of each season there is no outright favourite, no team widely tipped to walk away with it. Not since IFK Gothenburg won four titles in a row in the 1990s has a team dominated the championship. Now itââ?¬â?¢s accessible to all ââ?¬â?? a bit like their fabled health and education systems. With little discernible difference between the top half-dozen clubs, anyone willing to stick their neck out and declare one to be superior to the rest could surely expect to attract a degree of criticism and calls to explain themselves. And so it was a year ago when Offside, the respected Swedish football magazine, declared Malmo FF the greatest Swedish club of all time. Malmo, the magazine felt, had the lot: the most victories in both the league championship and the Swedish cup, success in Europe, including an appearance in the 1979 European Cup final, a loyal fanbase, and a tradition of producing young players, including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Malmo born and raised. The backlash was fairly ferocious, especially from peeved Gothenburg fans, but Offside stuck to their guns. Granted, there was undoubtedly a touch of sentiment attached to the decision, given the article coincided with Malmoââ?¬â?¢s centenary celebrations, but even now there are no regrets. ââ?¬Å?That article attracted a lot of controversy throughout Sweden and there were a lot of angry Gothenburg supporters,ââ?¬Â Henrik Ysten, editor of Offside, told Herald Sport. ââ?¬Å?They told us we had made a wrong decision. One of our writers is fond of statistics and he explored a lot of different areas, including success on the pitch, each clubââ?¬â?¢s economic state, supporter base, traditions and other things. When we added everything up, Malmo came out on top.ââ?¬Â There is a feeling among their rivals, however, that Malmo is a club clinging to its once proud past, with talk of 1979 and Zlatan a convenient smokescreen to hide recent shortcomings. Last yearââ?¬â?¢s title win was their first in six years, while, surprisingly, they have not won the Swedish Cup since 1989. ââ?¬Å?Itââ?¬â?¢s true, Malmo have been one of the biggest disappointments year after year this century,ââ?¬Â Ysten confirmed. ââ?¬Å?There has been a lot of criticism of their coaches and players in recent times, and the organisation was also blamed, too, for sacking some coaches too quickly. ââ?¬Å?Before they won the championship last year it was not a good time to be a Malmo player. The supporters were really mad at them and there is no doubt the team underachieved for many of those seasons. It was a rough time for them and they failed in many respects.ââ?¬Â Malmo is the third biggest city in Sweden, behind Stockholm and Gothenburg, with a population of around 600,000. As the only top-flight club in the area, Malmo FF command near universal backing from a zealous fanbase. Ysten paints a picture of a club not afraid to indulge in nostalgia, something that makes them fairly unique in Sweden. Like Celticââ?¬â?¢s famous Lisbon Lions, every member of Malmoââ?¬â?¢s European Cup final squad hailed from the surrounding Scania province and many of them are still employed at the club in a number of different roles. ââ?¬Å?In Malmo they are proud of their history and they speak about it a lot,ââ?¬Â explained Ysten. ââ?¬Å?That makes them different from other Swedish clubs as the rest donââ?¬â?¢t really cling on to their past or mention their heroic achievements too often. Last year, in the first game in their new stadium, Malmo asked all the members of the team that reached the European Cup final to be there and Bo Larsson, who is still seen as a big Malmo hero, arrived with the match-ball to start the first game. That shows how much tradition means to them.ââ?¬Â The sale of Ibrahimovic to Ajax for Ã?£7m in 2001 inadvertently brought the Malmo conveyor belt of young talent temporarily shuddering to a halt. Cash-rich for the first time in a while, the management team elected to ignore their youth department and instead invested heavily in the transfer market, buying an abundance of players from their Swedish rivals. It proved to be a short-lived policy. Money gone, the Malmo hierarchy returned to rearing their own and last yearââ?¬â?¢s championship success was achieved with one of the youngest teams in the league. ââ?¬Å?Malmo have a proud history of producing young players who go on to play for the Swedish national team,ââ?¬Â said Ysten. ââ?¬Å?Last year they won the league with a lot of players around 20 years of age.ââ?¬Â Rangers will discover tomorrow night just how good this current Malmo team is when they meet in the first leg of their Champions League qualifier at Ibrox. Interest in Sweden will be high, although there is scant pressure on Malmo to succeed. ââ?¬Å?There is little expectation on Swedish teams when they go into Europe these days,ââ?¬Â added Ysten. ââ?¬Å?Over the past 10 years or so they have shown themselves to be too small for Europe. Nobody expects Malmo to go through against Glasgow Rangers, but the hope is always there.ââ?¬Â http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/rangers/malmo-s-return-to-rearing-their-own-talent-pays-off-1.1113759

Do they mean anything or are they just an attempt to keep the forum users playing by the rules? Reason I ask is because there's been numerous warnings issued in the Rangers transfer rumours thread and more often than not it's a specific 'Super Mod' who goes against the warning and advice the admin/mod has issued yet nothing more happens. Just curious.

LEE WALLACE admits signing for Rangers was a no-brainer once the Light Blues had their �£1.5 million bid accepted. The 23-year-old sealed a five year contract and says that the chance to become a medal winner was a key reason behind his move from Edinburgh to Glasgow. He revealed a conversation with manager Ally McCoist has already inspired him ahead of what he sees as a huge challenge. Wallace said: "Having just spoken to the manager for ten minutes I can see that he is a winner and that's what I want to become. "I know I need to work hard to get the chance to play but that's what I want to do because I want to be a winner. "I'm going in to a dressing room that is full of winners and that can only benefit me. I know five or six through the international scene as well. "But the winning mentality is built in to the club and that's something I want to develop because I want to be a winner." Wallace admitted that he is relieved that the long running transfer saga is now over after a summer long pursuit by the Light Blues. He added: "I'm just happy that it has finally come about. There has been a bit of speculation but that is good to hear because it is such a big club. "I've got ambitions to play at a high level and with what has happened today I have met those so I am delighted it has finally happened. "There was a slight concern but I'm a professional and I kept going in and working hard. That's how I am, so I stayed focused."

As I'm sure most of you do I am a member of a couple of Gers fan sites including this one. Going by some of them and what's been said on my Facebook Mr Whyte simply can't win with some fans. If we are outbid by other clubs he gets slated and now when we bid over �£1 million for a full back in the last year of his contract he gets slated as well. We have had a bid accepted for Cuellar and have made other bids for players which is in stark contrast to previous seasons. We have also signed up 5 players who took to the field at Rugby Park on the final game of the season - three on long term deals. The reason Rangers were in such a financial mess was because we paid over the odds for too many average players so I'm glad Mr Whyte is trying to being as astute as possible in the transfer market.

.... so we may as well start celebrating now :cheers: -- Explain to me how Rangers are going to square their oncoming tax bill and I'll wager you could teach us how to nail jelly to a tree. Frankly I still don't quite comprehend how the Ibrox club's takeover has built a jigsaw puzzle picture of a sunny future. But then why listen to me? I never thought Craig the Whyte knight would get his hands on the club in the first place. So off we jolly well go into another season which has already fired up more questions than answers, with its embarrassing hiccupping start as the Old Firm take their sabbatical before the term has learned to walk. Of course I understand the desire - requirement, maybe - for the big clubs to go big buck hunting, but I still find it humiliating for the SPL that the big kick-off is followed by a couple of weeks of damp squibs as Celtic then Rangers throw the other clubs a deaf one. It's like getting married then bodyswerving your own reception. Rangers fans can't be full of the joys of life. All window shopping in the transfer market, but no real spirit of the shop to drop. Sure, they've been linked with more big names than Piers Morgan�but headlines don't mean signings. Ally McCoist once compared taking the baton from Walter Smith to accepting the microphone from Sinatra and of course he was right. But it strikes me that Nelson Riddle has just taken the orchestra off the stage too. He took the job because ultimately he had no option. But privately he must reflect that somewhere down the line there might have been a better time. Like Neil Lennon timed his run, for example. After the Tony Mowbray shambles, the only way was up. No fence sitting from your old reporter. I'll be stunned if Celtic aren't champions by the time autumn and winter have blown their last and dear spring is in the air once again. Rangers were champions last year because they deserved to be, not because of Celtic's spectacular trip at Inverness as they toddled to the finishing line. A title race is a distance event and it is never won or lost on any given Saturday afternoon or Wednesday night. But this time at Parkhead, I suspect the lesson will have been learned. Mind you, to be fair there hasn't been a run on the ink at Lennoxtown. Signings there too have been a collector's item. But the difference is the depth of squad already on the employment register. Atlantic deep: Rangers meanwhile have to set sail in a puddle. What we need them both to do is progress in Europe in their respective competitions, to ensure a little midweek action in the Champions and Europa Leagues. That would put a little light in our lives. And talking of a little brightness, why do I have a good feeling about St Mirren? It's a worry. This time last year I was insistent that they would be relegated and if not quite gloriously wrong then I looked like being spot-on for a fair few months. Scotland coach Craig Levein faces crucial Euro 2012 qualifiers But the signings of Gary Teale, Nigel Hasselbaink and Stevie Thompson and a general something in the air over Paisley - and maybe the strong drink - has me think better days are coming. And here's a thing as I juggle my feel good factors: Scotland - I think we might make it to Poland and Ukraine although hopefully not Donetsk, quite the dreariest place I have ever been. There, even the birds cough. Certainly the play-offs of the European Championship qualifying group beckon at least, where Lithuania's turning over by Liechtenstein opened the door for Scotland and a straight two-way fight with the Czechs for second prize to World Champions Spain. So let SPL battle commence, earlier than ever but still too late. We should have been back three weeks ago thereby allowing our European representatives some run-up to their ties and freeing up some time for the inevitable winter back-log of postponed games. And maybe even a January shutdown� Hey, but I'm not one to spoil a bright new dawn with a bit of mumping. But watch this space. �SPL champions: Celtic �Second: Rangers �Third: Hearts �Relegated: Kilmarnock �Scottish Cup winners: Hearts �League Cup winners: Dundee United

With several weeks still to go until the transfer window slam's shut , we seem to be getting ever more desperate to sign a player , any player will do or so it seems , at least here in internet land . The reality is that we have been slaves to the mismanagement of Murrayand the previous board/bank and are paying the price short term , the fact that the spine of the team has been signed up long term seem's to have been totally missed by all ,these players would and should have been long gone if it wasn't for Mr Whyte's takeover. We are actively seeking new players , the fact that we are not just paying what the selling club wants seems again to byepass most in internet land , does anyone really think that our new manager wants to fail , or that we as it stand are not good enough with the present first team at our disposal to beat Malmo . I am not for a second saying that we are good enough to go through the season ahead with the squad as it stands , but the internet and forums other than this , also twitter ,are fast becoming no go areas such is the despair that seems to engulf us with every passing hour that CC or A N Other hasn't signed . Lets all just chill out and await the next few weeks and see what transpires if players are not brought in by then , then I will be the first to start PANICING but until then lets look forward and not back tothe bad old days when we accepted every and any rubbish bid for what ever player another team wanted . We are after all ............:spl::spl: , and dont anyone forget it

Right. With CW physically telling Jim Traynor he is giving Ally �£15M to spend he has now committed himself, this is actually the first time (as far as i'm aware) he has told anyone how much money he is making available for players. I have defended CW to the hilt and will continue to do so. BUT, if we don;t have at least two solid signings by the Hearts game my confidence in him will drop a bit, if we don;t have 5 signings (minimum) including three first team players by the close of the transfer window i will be pissed off, unless it is proves we could not compete with the team the the player goes to. �£15M is a big number, but remember, ALL, EPL teams can spend that on two players with out breaking sweat. I know a lot of us are going to think we can sign Messi now, we can't but it will mean we can pay the �£2M for Goodwillie (i think he's worth �£1.5) but it does give Ally room to manoeuvre. I think we should all still exercise caution and keep our feet on the ground. But make no bones about this, this is a huge boost for The Rangers and us fans

Blackburn are facing a transfer crisis - with their Indian owners told to cut the club’s overdraft before they can buy. The devastating news comes after the chicken-farming Venky’s group planned to make a handful of signings and try to make their outfit into challengers for the Champions League. Venkys bought Rovers for around Ã?£25 million from the late Jack Walker’s trustees and agreed to take on the Ã?£18 million overdraft in the form of a mortgage. However the bank have now demanded that the figure is now reduced - with the cash from the sale of Phil Jones to Manchester United claimed and kept away from boss Steve Kean. It is a hammer blow for young chief Kean and the owners who have lined up players and missed them since the decision was taken a fortnight ago. Rovers wanted to break their transfer record and sign a striker like Mirco Vucinic, Papiss Cisse or Jermain Defoe for fees around or over Ã?£10million. But now they are looking for cheap deals, swaps or free agents. Kean also wanted to sign Belgian star Axel Witsel, but Rovers were outbid by Benfica. Moves for Monaco defender Cedric Mongongu, Portuguese winger Vieirinha and Paraguay striker Nelson Valdez are also in doubt. The Rovers boss may now have to sell again - on orders of the owners and the bank - with skipper Chris Samba a likely departure. Both Tottenham and Arsenal are poised if the price is right. And the decision has rocked the Venky’s chiefs. Instead of plans to put money in for signings, which they pledged to Kean and the fans, they are now having to look after the bank first in a crippling development. Read more: http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/transfer-news/Blackburn-Rovers-face-transfer-crisis-as-Phil-Jones-to-Manchester-United-money-used-for-overdraft-and-Chris-Samba-could-leave-for-Arsenal-or-Tottenham-Hotspur-article771592.html#ixzz1SRDZ01wI Sign up for MirrorFootball's Morning Spy newsletter Register here

I think it's safe to say that regardless of how we feel about preseason friendly results, and performances, we are all united in pretty significant displeasure at our club's rather woefully inadequate performance in the transfer market this window. We have made just the one solitary signing, the promising looking Juanma, in the tricky slot of winger, so it's safe to say that Weiss has been replaced. But elsewhere we appear to be going sideways. We've failed to bring in any strikers at all, with failed attempts at getting Hemed and the on-going soap opera that is Goodwillie. Now we've turned our attention to Kenny Miller, which looks like the easy option. And I understand Ally has a personal friendship with Miller which may explain his interest in getting him back. This isn't the end of the world - we have the best SPL striker in Jelavic, the well-rated Naismith, the enigmatic Lafferty and the potentially effective SPL goal getter in Healy. Which isn't appalling. We also have Beattie too but best to gloss over that one eh? Midfield hasn't fared too well either, with links to Wanyama, Livermore, and Danns coming to nothing - leaving us looking like, bar Juanma, going into the new season with pretty much the same midfield as we had last year. This isn't a total travesty, because again, we're quite well endowed in this area - Ness, McCulloch, Edu, Davis - it's not Xavi and Iniesta but it's not bad. I guess the area we're all most worried about is defence, and it's clear Ally is too. At present we have Whittaker as a cert for right back, and it's becoming clear why Ally was so desperate to hold onto him - we wouldn't have been able to find an adequate replacement. In the middle we have the seasoned veterans Bougherra, Weir and Broadfoot - none of whom really inspire confidence despite being more or less ever present 3 seasons in a row. And at left back the honest but limited Papac, something of a cult figure but only because a really good wing back these days costs a bomb or requires a lucky find in some South American league *cough* Izzaguirre *cough*. It's for this reason we have been linked significantly to around 7 defenders - Cuellar, Wilson, Bartley, Rodriguez, Khomalo and Wallace. And appear no closer to signing any of them, having had an apparently paltry bid for Rodriguez rejected by his parent club Espanyol. Bids for Cuellar and Wallace were also dismissed out of hand and it's pretty clear that bringing in players is a hell of a lot harder than it used to be. It does help having money - Walter Smith during his second spell had to fix the side and was able to buy players like Naismith, Thomson, Whittaker, Davis et al - guys who cost 2M a pop easily. Nowadays, even under this new ownership and a new era, we simply don't seem to have the cash to splash out on players the club desperately need. It's not easy to sign a player - the negotiations can go on for a long time, other clubs can hijack deals, and ultimately a bid is rejected. But it's clear Smith, Ally and Whyte have to up the ante to bring in players otherwise this increasingly rusty team is going to break. Especially at the back - 7 defenders we are currently in negotiations over, which appears to be like a lucky dip - you take what you can get. Well we have to hope we get something good, and soon.

A nice messy affair this one. Modric is better than Spurs quite honestly, and knows he will never win anything there. He's a world class player. Interesting also to see the change in 'Arry. The other night I saw him on SSN praising Modric and saying how great he was and that there's no problem with him anywhere. Now things seem quite different.

Right I know many people have either overreacted or are completely underwhelmed in regards to this years pre-season but I find myself asking the question... is this a blessing in disguise? I mean at the start of the transfer window Ally probably thought he needed a number of squad players and maybe 1 or 2 first team players, now after the last few results (although I doubt you will here him say it aloud) he finds himself in a position where he must have realised that this squad needs a major freshen up. I really hope that now he not only talks about signings but actually goes out and makes some.

Ally McCoist has revealed he is considering a move to hand Kenny Miller an unprecedented third spell as a Rangers player. The Ibrox boss is stepping up his reinforcement plans ahead of the SPL season and confirmed a return for Miller had not been ruled out as he weighs up various attacking options. The Scotland striker left Glasgow in January to sign a lucrative deal with Turkish club Bursaspor, but is anxious to move back to the UK after failing to settle. McCoist has kept in contact with Miller since he exited Ibrox, although he has yet to discuss the possibility of a transfer with the 31-year-old. 'Kenny has never been out of my thoughts,' said McCoist, speaking at the club's preseason training camp in Germany. 'He is a player who did very well for us. He is a good lad and gets on well with everyone here. I wouldn't rule anyone out and I certainly wouldn't rule Kenny Miller out. 'But I haven't spoken to him to any degree or great length about it because he is obviously still under contract at Bursaspor. Kenny ticks all the boxes in terms of what we're looking for but, to be fair, we're looking at a few who tick all the boxes. Miller: No Turkish delight Miller: No Turkish delight 'I'm not going to tell you that deal is going to happen or it's not going to happen.' Miller banks around �£45,000 per week at Bursaspor but would be willing to take a substantial cut in wages to return home. Even so, finding the right financial package would be one obstacle in the way of any deal for a player who previously joined Rangers from Hibs and Derby. 'I'm sure there are clubs in England interested in him and he'd probably get nearer the money he'd be looking for down there,' added McCoist. McCoist is hoping to make substantial progress on the transfer front this week, with defensive reinforcements his first priority. Espanyol centre-back Raul Rodriguez is under consideration but the Rangers boss made it clear he wants a more experienced operator capable of making an immediate impact. 'I want someone who can play in the team right away,' he said. 'You can buy kids, ones for the future and take a wee gamble now and then, but we need men to come into our team.' Madjid Bougherra will fly home today for a scan on a hamstring strain, but Rangers are hopeful he will be fit for the SPL opener a week on Saturday. Kyle Lafferty will visit a specialist in Manchester to have his groin injury assessed, with a four-week absence thought to be the maximum. New contracts for David Weir and Steven Davis could be confirmed in the near future after McCoist reported positive developments on discussions. He is, however, baffled as to why Gregg Wylde has not signed the three-year extension offered earlier this summer. 'He hasn't signed his contract. Why not? I don't know,' said McCoist. 'A contract has been put to him and I think it will be our final offer.' Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2013680/Rangers-weighing-Kenny-Miller-offer.html#ixzz1RqG2572I

After two successive defeats in pre season, Alistair McCoist has had to endure by himself the first small experience of pressure since his succession of Walter Smith in the managerial hot seat. The outgoing manager made clear the simple task awaiting all those who occupy that lonely position where the buck stops, stating simply that as Rangers manager ââ?¬Ë?youââ?¬â?¢ve got to win all the timeââ?¬â?¢. Ranking third in the clubââ?¬â?¢s table of appearances, and first in the goal scoring charts, the new manager is undoubtedly familiar with this simple demand of life at Scotlandââ?¬â?¢s most successful club. For the first time, however, the full weight and complexity of this concise imperative rests squarely and solely on his shoulders. On the more rational continent, pre-season is about fitness and experimentation. This is the primary concern of the manager who was at pains to point out that the team is not yet two weeks into training and was keen to maintain a sense of perspective. In his first outing against German Fourth Division side Sportfreunde Lotte the manager made seven changes at half time, including the introduction of youngsters McMillan, Hutton, Fleck and Hemmings. While going on to lose the match, the manager could take positives from the full 90 minutes played by the returning Broadfoot and the movement and power of youngster Hemmings. However, in his second outing against Bochum, the defensive frailties of a team more closely resembling that which secured Rangersââ?¬â?¢ third title in a row were exposed as the team was beaten convincingly. ââ?¬Å?Obviously Iââ?¬â?¢m disappointed by the result and particularly disappointed at the standard of goal we lostââ?¬Â he said. After a disappointing opening 45 minutes of the second game, the visitors created little in the way of chances. McCoistââ?¬â?¢s only real attacking option was to introduce John Fleck up front, pushing Steven Naismith out wide. This did little to reverse Rangers attacking fortunes, and as the match progressed the increased home pressure forced the concession of three soft goals. The media focus, and the managerââ?¬â?¢s response to it, has centred on the need for new players to offer depth and competition in these positions. McCoist is unlikely to acquiesce to the reactionary narrative that these results are significant reflection of troubled early days, but he may be quietly pleased that his need for new players remains in the spotlight. McCoist, however, remains confident ââ?¬â?? ââ?¬Ë?We will get what is required. Itââ?¬â?¢s blatantly obvious we need to get players in, but we arenââ?¬â?¢t going to start panickingââ?¬â?¢ As might be expected, McCoistââ?¬â?¢s calm is not shared by all. The view from the forum is typically less restrained. On one hand, those wary of the lack of signings and perturbed by the results are sharing the mediaââ?¬â?¢s focus on the squadââ?¬â?¢s inadequacy, and are seeing an ominous future reflected in the pre season present. Some have questioned the playerââ?¬â?¢s commitment, and are worrying if Allyââ?¬â?¢s ââ?¬Ë?previous persona of being a ââ?¬Ë?good guyââ?¬â?¢ and jokerââ?¬â?¢ has undermined their will to win. Others are keen to point out that wielding any sort of big stick two weeks into pre-season training would be reactionary and disproportionate for a side who such a short time ago showed an iron will against considerable odds to win the league for the third time in a row. They share McCoistââ?¬â?¢s view that the only thing reflected in our early performances is growing fitness and the widely acknowledged need for new players. McCoist sensibly will not worry overly much about the results, and the complexity of transfer interaction will continue to frustrate both him and the fans ââ?¬â?? no doubt with increasing theatricality as the opening game and European deadlines loom. However, as the fans concentrate on the necessary drama of transfer activity, and are divided along lines drawn up by the media, it is possible that the opening games reflect a more subtle and general problem than has previously been discussed. A problem whose very obviousness has obscured it from view. . In the virtues of his long apprenticeship and the inheritance of a small talented squad of those used to playing and winning together McCoist has a solid core of both experience and resources on which to build. However, this sort of solidity affords little flexibility. McCoist does not have the luxury of the revolutionary fervour of regime change and the freedom to experiment that this brings. The same fans who show their consternation at any loss, as Walter Smith predicted, are similarly worried that Ally does not seem to have changed from the defensive formation favoured by the previous manager. The large shadow, small squad and pathological demand for success given McCoist on his appointment afford little scope for him to impose himself on his squad comprehensively. Both the situation and personnel the new manager has inherited has made a story of small, steady and incremental change his only option. For McCoist to impose himself as he must he will necessarily have to make changes, and in doing so to contradict his mentor and the players who played, above all, for him. The real problem facing Ally McCoist appears not to be the inevitable signing of players or the often irrational demands of pre-season results. His will be judged on how he sparks life into the robust, efficient and successful engine of which he is the grateful beneficiary. And how well he provides the spark that was previously lit by the benefactor. With the fever of revolution in the corridors of power at Ibrox, and a new optimism and expectation in the wider support and community, Ally McCoist faces the rather more sombre task of making the squad which is his inheritance truly his. He will be all too aware that this isnââ?¬â?¢t something that comes in flowing football pre-season, or even imagination capturing signings. These things, like fitness and match practice, all form part of a task that is harder to define, report on and worry about ââ?¬â?? he has to make a side used to winning all the time, win for him. On leaving Walter Smith warned that ââ?¬Ë?all that matters is that you create an environment that wins matchesââ?¬â?¢, and what we see reflected perhaps more than anything in these opening matches is the new managerââ?¬â?¢s realisation that while ââ?¬Ë?you need a lot of help to do that but, as managerââ?¬â?¢ he is now the man ââ?¬Ë?at the helm of it allââ?¬â?¢. McCoist points to the future and the first the first game of the season as the only true indicator, while the fans and the media are left to dissect the present according to their own fears and hopes.

KRIS BOYD will fly to Turkey today to seal a �£40,000-a-week deal with Eskisehirspor. The Scotland striker will sign a three-year contract tomorrow after the Super Lig outfit agreed a �£1.75million fee with Middlesbrough. Boyd, 28 next month, had the chance to move to Turkey when he left Rangers on a Bosman last summer before joining Boro. His transfer to the Riverside turned sour and he spent the second half of last season on loan at Nottingham Forest. Boyd's hopes of a permanent move to the City Ground ended when Billy Davies was sacked last month. Now he is poised to follow former Gers and Scotland strike partner Kenny Miller to the Super Lig. Boyd will join former Celtic frontman Diomansy Kamara at Eskisehirspor after his recent switch from Fulham. Eskisehirspor finished seventh last season - four places adrift of Miller's Bursaspor - and want to push for Europe this term. The club has become mired in the Turkish match-fixing scandal this week with technical director Umit Karan among 40 people arrested. Karan will be freed from custody today and will conclude one of the biggest deals in the club's history when he ties up Boyd, who is then expected to be unveiled in front of thousands of supporters tomorrow. The top scorer in SPL history hopes the move can reignite his Scotland career under Craig Levein. The 18-times capped striker has scored seven goals for his country despite making himself unavailable for selection between October 2008 and November 2009. He returned for last season's Hampden clash with Liechtenstein and is eager to win a place for this autumn's Euro 2012 qualifiers. Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3681800/Kris-Boyd-nets-40k-Turkey-deal.html#ixzz1RPPOI4k5

Striker Kevin Phillips has joined Blackpool on a free transfer after being released by Birmingham City. The 37-year-old has agreed a one-year-deal with the Seasiders with an option for a further 12 months. Phillips has scored 254 goals in 561 career appearances for seven different clubs and won eight England caps. "I've scored many goals in my career and I still believe I've got many in me," Phillips told the official Blackpool website. "I did a fair bit of work last year for Sky television watching Blackpool when I was commentating. "Like everyone else in the country, I enjoyed watching Blackpool play and creating chances. It was exciting to watch and Ian Holloway is an infectious manager. That was certainly a major factor in me wanting to join Blackpool. "Hopefully I can get on the end of a few of those chances that we create." Phillips made 20 appearances for Birmingham last season, scoring four goals, but was released by the club following their relegation to the Championship. He began his career with Baldock Town and subsequently played for Watford, Sunderland, Southampton, Aston Villa and West Brom, before moving to St Andrew's. He is Blackpool's third summer signing following the recruitment of former Manchester United winger Bojan Djordjic and Preston North End left-back Matt Hill. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14098319.stm?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Just seems amazing that 7 top class players like these are just gathering dust at City.

http://www.sportinglife.com/football/transfer_centre/

26k a week, wow. I thought �£25k would be our limit but if true its great to have him tied up.

For all those Celtic fans bored with today's transfer action at Ibrox; why not have a go of the latest CFC board game: http://i55.tinypic.com/2rgkyol.jpg

Trust me Coisty, bring in all 3 of these guys and you've made your marquee signings right there.

Rangers continue to plug away to try and bring players into the club but who should we make our top priority? Lee Wallace, Hearts The five times capped Scotland player would make a good edition to the squad. He's young and more importantly he's Scottish. Is he worth more than �£1 million or are Hearts pushing their luck? David Goodwillie, Dundee United I've been keen on Goodwillie coming to Rangers for a long time but with Nikica Jelavic banging in the goals, Kyle Lafferty finding goalscoring form and David Healy signed up. Should we be thinking about spending our transfer kitty elsewhere? Carlos Cuellar, Aston Villa Had a great season with Rangers before moving to Aston Villa in an �£8 million deal. Rangers have signed David Weir up for another year but he may need a new defensive partner. Culler may be out of our price range though. So who would you make your priority?

Rangers director of football Gordon Smith can't agree with players who would choose the npower Championship over the opportunity to play in the Champions League. Crystal Palace midfielder Neil Danns agreed a move to Leicester despite interest from the Scottish champions, while another target, Craig Conway, opted for Cardiff. Reports suggest Conway's former Dundee United team-mate David Goodwillie could also make the move to the Bluebirds, with Rangers yet to make a formal bid for the Tannadice striker. However, former agent Smith insists players who choose finances over football are no great loss to Rangers. He said: "I believe it shouldn't always be about money. My own opinion is that players should be making decisions which are football decisions, rather than financial. "I tried to do that myself when I was an agent, I tried to say to the player to make the right football decision. "If I was a player coming through, would I go to a club playing in the Champions League or go to a club that's playing in the Championship? I know where I would want to go. "It's a shame because you lose players who don't quite see it that way. But we move on. "If a player decides not to come to us, we have to take the attitude that maybe it's not such a bad thing. "He's maybe not got the right attitude that we want because what we really want is people who see us as the place to come to." Smith added: "It is a different world these days. "We have budgets here, we have a certain amount of income and we have to be sensible spending the money. I think the fans realise that nowadays. "I'm very aware of salary levels at Premiership level, but the Championship level salaries have also rocketed. "There are clubs coming down from the Premiership into the Championship and they are keeping the wage scales going. "Clubs are getting new owners and deciding to compete to try to get into the Premiership because they know there is big money. So that's the market." New Rangers boss Ally McCoist has yet to make his first signing but Smith urged fans to be patient. He said: "I would tell them not to be frustrated. It is early on. "I've got a lot of experience of the transfer business and it's usually midnight on August 31 when a lot of the deals get done. "We're trying to do it in June now and we're trying to get up and running because there are games coming up. "We have a good set of players just now, it's not as though we are short of a team. But we are looking to strengthen the squad and that's what we are working on just now. "I would say to the fans not to be too worried or frustrated. We are working on it, we've got targets and ultimately we will be bringing players in." He added: "The squad definitely does need to be strengthened. Not in terms of right away because we've got a good team. "But we are going to try to strengthen the squad in terms of bringing in quality. Ally and I agree that we need competition for places. The other aspect is injuries and suspensions. "It's important that we get some players in. We are probably looking at at least three or four players to come in."

I hope it is agreed at the weekend and he signs on Monday.

Celtic boss Neil Lennon is in talks with free agent Neil Danns about signing on a free from Crystal Palace ââ?¬â?? ahead of rivals Rangers. Midfielder Danns is discussing terms after Lennon stepped in for him. The star has also spoken with Rangers but has better money on offer from Celtic. Read more: http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/transfer-news/Celtic-to-beat-Rangers-to-Crystal-Palace-free-agent-Neill-Danns-article751200.html#ixzz1PzfWK5EK Sign up for MirrorFootball's Morning Spy newsletter Register here